P&Z GIVES FOREST HILLS REZONING NOD; HOUSING DEVELOPER SAYS HE MAY BUILD FACTORY IN AREA

Only three months after the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission voted down a rezoning request for Forest Hills Subdivision, members gave it the nod Wednesday night.

Harold Holigan, owner of Dallas-based Holigan Family Investments Inc., traveled to Cape Girardeau Wednesday to ask that the subdivision be rezoned from R-1 to R-2. His main argument was that the lower zoning would mean less expensive housing in Cape Girardeau.

Holigan told the commission prior to the vote that he is considering Cape Girardeau, Jackson or Scott City as a site for a factory. He said it would employ about 300 people and produce components for factory-built homes.

The developer has been in contact with the Missouri Department of Economic Development about his plans. Sikeston is another community being considered for the plant, and a decision should be made in the next 30 to 45 days.

Whether he got his rezoning wasn't an issue in where he decided to build the plant, Holigan said. He is a Southeast Missouri native and still maintains a home in Puxico, so he always considered the area for a plant.

Commission Chairman Harry Rediger said the possibility of 300 new jobs for the area wasn't the reason commissioners reversed their June decision against rezoning. Instead, the commission voted against rezoning in June because plans were too sketchy, he said.

"There was no indication what kind of homes they were building, who they were or where they came from," Rediger said. "Even at that time we commented that we were going to have to do something about getting R-2 districts."

In an R-1 district, lots must be at least 10,000 square feet. In R-2, they can be as small as 7,000 square feet, although most lots in the proposed subdivision are considerably larger.

If plans are approved by the City Council, Forest Hills will be built north of the intersection of Sprigg and Bertling streets.

Only one adjoining landowner spoke in favor of the project Wednesday night. The others who did so were two real-estate agents and people involved in the area's economic development.

Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association, said business owners interested in building plants in Cape Girardeau always ask about housing. Robinson said he has a difficult time showing them decent housing that average employees can afford.

Holigan is planning to build about 145 houses in the $95,000-$135,000 range in the subdivision.

About 10 neighbors showed up to oppose the rezoning. Dr. David Crowe, who owns a considerable amount of property adjoining Forest Hills, said that the property was R-1 when Holigan bought it and should remain that way.

Mary Kistner, a real-estate agent who owns property near the subdivision, said the fewer lots on the Sprigg Street extension, the safer the street will be.

"Sprigg Street will be a major thoroughfare," she said. "And with smaller frontages there will be more people with driveways backing out onto that thoroughfare."

Rediger abstained from the vote as did commission member R.J. McKinney. Both said they have ties to area economic development groups. The rest voted 5-to-1 to recommend the City Council approve rezoning to R-2. Melvin Dockins cast the sole "no" vote.

Neighbors weren't happy with the decision, although Holigan said he would meet with any of them who wanted explanations about the development.